ST STITHIANS COLLEGE

RECTOR’S COLLEGE REPORT

THIRD TERM – 2006

THE METHODIST CHURCH

1. Following consultation with the Superintendent Chaplain and Bishop Paul, a job description for school-based Chaplains was drafted. Subsequently, this draft has been tabled at the College Executive for discussion; and will be discussed further in the weeks ahead with the Chaplains and Bishop Paul.

2. In discussion with Bishop Paul, it was decided that in 2007 St Stithians College would not host Probationer Chaplains.

3. The Junior Preparatory School continues to support the IKM (Izenzo Kunge Mazwi) Community College for refugees in Hillbrow.

GOVERNANCE

4. At the last Council Meeting, Councillors were asked to peruse Draft 8 of the Governance Proposal circulated and to e-mail any comments to Peter Backwell by the end of October 2006.

5. Thereafter, Messrs Gary Morolo (Chair), Pete Backwell and Stephen Lowry, met to review Draft 9 and the changes proposed.

6. Draft 10 of the Governance Proposal was circulated to Council and discussed at the Council Meeting held on 16 November 2006. The proposed changes were accepted in principle.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

7. The Strategic Planning Group met on 02 October 2006. Matters discussed included:

· An interesting synopsis by Alistair Stewart on his experience at Harvard during his long leave.

· Budget planning for 2007.

· Marketing: admissions processes and procedures; media protocol and effective communication; marketing material and a prospectus for the College.

· The Foundation’s cycle/walk track initiative.

8. On 12 & 13 November 2006, the Strategic Planning Group met for a two-day workshop on Diversity. Dr Xolela Mangcu, a Saints parent and expert in this field, who recently addressed the SAHISA Conference on diversity, agreed to present a paper on this topic to the Saints group. The session was directed by an external facilitator. The three new Boys’ College Deputies were invited to attend this workshop.

TRANSFORMATION

9. As reflected in Point 8, Transformation remains high on the agenda of each of the Saints schools

10. A cross campus HIV/AIDS Committee continues to meet termly, to discuss curriculum matters, progress and to monitor the policy adopted. The Committee Members calendarised an HIV/AIDS Awareness Day for 24 October 2006 and distributed beaded badges to the staff.

THE WIDER COMMUNITY

Saturday Morning School

11. Mrs Marianna Neumann, the Director of the Saturday Morning School, reports as follows for this term:

“We have reached the end of yet another successful working year at the Saturday School and we trust that the learners will once again produce good results.

As stated last year changes for the future will include teaching fewer learners and offering fewer subjects. The learners will be selected in Grades 11 and 12 and the subjects will include Maths, Science and English. Lessons will be from 08:30 – 15:30 on three Saturdays per month rather than every week. To standardise the testing all learners will write a test on the previous lessons work and a report will be compiled. This will allow better control of progress.”

12. Mrs Neumann, working with Messrs Hudson & Backwell, put together a proposal for presentation to potential sponsors. In September 2006, sponsorship was confirmed with RMB to cover the remainder of the 2006 academic year; and, in addition, Pete Backwell has secured funding from the Sir Percy Hunting Foundation and Hollard Insurance to cover the costs of the project in 2007.

13. The Saturday School currently caters for 438 learners from 53 schools. It has been agreed that from 2007, this important project will fall under the administration of the Foundation’s Thandulwazi Institute.

14. Messrs Colin Hudson and Peter Backwell are to be thanked for their assistance and guidance in this regard.

Dibakwoane Trust

15. The Dibakwoane Trust was set up in 2001 to provide support and relief for the Dibakwoane boys, Daniel and Gladwell. The second boy, Gladwell, is completing Grade 10 at the Boys’ College (Council has been sent the various reports concerning the Trust in the last two years)

16. At its recent meeting the Trust took a decision to become dormant and to request St Stithians College to take over the management of the Trust Fund for the same intentions that the Trust was originally set up. This is primarily because the work of the Trust is solely around a current St Stithians pupil and an ex St Stithians pupil. The current Trustees are all members of the St Stithians College staff and with two trust members resigning (viz. Sue MacKenzie and Ian McLachlan) there is an inordinate amount of bureaucratic work required to change the memberships of the Trust.

17. The proposal is that the funds be managed by the College and that the College establishes a committee (to report to the Executive Committee on the work of the Trust).

18. It is suggested that the committee members be the Rector, the Bursar, the Head of the Boys’ College, one of the psychologists employed at the Boys’ College and a Secretary, who will be the secretary based at the psychological support services at the Boys’ College.

19. It was decided not to close down the Trust because we thought it might be useful to keep it as a “shelf trust” because of all the work that has been required to establish it in the first place. The College could then use it for a similar purpose if appropriate in future.

THE TERM TO DATE

THE COLLEGE EXECUTIVE

20. The College Executive has debated, reviewed and made decisions during the period July 2006 to November 2006 on, inter alia, the following matters:

21. The following policy was tabled for ratification by Council:

· Medical Aid & Assistance Policy

· Entrance Fee Policy

22. The following policy was tabled for the information of Council:

· Media Protocol

23. The Executive is in the process of reviewing/ drafting/ finalising the following policies:

· Academic Support Policy

· Amendments to the PDP Policy

· Drug & Alcohol Policy

· First Aid Policy for Staff

· Fundraising Policy

· Learning & Teaching Policy

· Policy on Psychometric Testing

· Sport & Overseas Tours Policy

THE CO-ORDINATE MODEL & GENDER ISSUES

24. The co-ordinate model remains a key goal on the College’s Strategic Plan. As previously agreed, the Heads of schools will update Council on this issue in their termly reports to Council.

25. The Rector recently undertook a review of the academic research and literature around gender studies and the differences in the cognitive development of boys and girls. Following discussion with and input from the Heads on this draft paper, the Rector’s paper will be presented to Council.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR STUDENTS

26. At the last Council Meeting, Councillors requested the opportunity to fully review and comment on this policy. My thanks go to the Councillors who forwarded comments and suggestions.

27. The final draft of this policy was tabled for Council’s approval on 16 November 2006.

UMALUSI

28. The UMALUSI Self-Evaluation submission was completed in May 2006. Although the College has had no formal written response from UMALUSI, we were advised that we had complied with all the requirements for full accreditation by UMALUSI. We now await an inspection aimed at auditing our written submission.

29. On 13 October 2006 the Saints Committee attended a workshop run by UMALUSI in Pretoria.

EMPLOYMENT ISSUES

30. In line with the SEC Constitution, the Skills & Equity Committee and the College Staff Forum meet on a monthly basis during the term. Both committees are chaired by Mr Russell Williams (Boys’ Prep).

LEVEL 6 LEARNERSHIPS - INTERN PROGRAMME

31. Mrs Linda Galanakis, continues to monitor the progress of the Level 6 Learnerships; to assist and guide their mentors; and to source additional sponsorship for the intern teachers.

COLLEGE STAFF UPDATE

32. The post for the new Deputy Heads of the Boys’ College was advertised in The Sunday Times on 11 June 2006 and attracted 56 applications. Dave Knowles held an initial round of interviews and met with twenty of the applicants in Johannesburg, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal. Thereafter, a shortlist of 8 applicants was interviewed by the Selection Panel, comprising Messrs Colin Smith, Stephen Lowry, Dave Knowles, Ray van Gass and Dr Motsepe (Parent). The process undertaken was lengthy and thorough.

33. During the process, especially given the quality of the candidates, it was decided to review the structure and to appoint three deputies to cover the portfolios of academics; student affairs; and administration (a broad post comprising many components). It should be noted that the restructuring was achieved at no extra cost to the current salaries budget.

34. We look forward to welcoming the following staff members into the senior management of the College:

· Mr Andrew Baker (currently HOD Biology, St Stithians Boys’ College) - Deputy Head:- Academics;

· Mr Piet van Tonder (currently Director of Discipline on the Boys’ College Executive) - Deputy Head: Administration; and

· Mr Michael McConnachie (currently Deputy Head, Pinelands High School, Cape Town) - Deputy Head: Student Affairs.

A-LEVEL COLLEGE

35. Mrs Joan Hope-Jones has agreed to remain on as Acting Director of the A-Level College for 2007. Presently, she is recruiting students interested in a one-year A-Level course in 2007.

PR/MARKETING/COMMUNICATION

36. Mrs Megan van der Poll, the Marketing Director, who co-ordinates the cross-campus PR/Marketing, has been invited, at the request of the Chairman of Council, to present to Council at its November 2006 meeting.

37. The Director has appointed an administrative assistant (Mrs Charlene Bolleurs).

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE COLLEGE

38. A highlight this term was the wonderful affirmation of educators by the PA and learners on World Teachers’ Day. This acknowledgment and gesture was greatly appreciated by the Saints teachers.

STATUS OF THE PROPERTY

39. New Field: after some differences with the contractor, we finally agreed a design and process for rerouting the storm water that runs into the property from the west. We were very keen to have this in place before the first rains of the season, but this was not to be and the first heavy downpour did result in depositing a fair amount of soil into the dam. However, the storm water “catchment pond” and trench around the new field is complete and is being built in line with the specifications of the College’s civil engineer.

40. St Stithians continues to host the Randburg Development Forum Meetings at the College. This Forum is due to meet again on 16 November 2006.

41. We continue to pursue the options of:

· Improving the campus road and traffic systems, as and when budget is available for such infrastructural improvements;

· Upgrading the Peter Place Entrance which is now the main entrance to the College. This gate will be closed in December to allow for roadworks.

42. Following a change of staff, it would seem that Outward Bound has decided against establishing an outward bound type obstacle course on the estate.

43. Sweating the Assets: under the management of the Operations Manager, Michael Meyers, the College continues to hire out its facilities in order to source additional income. The College has recently concluded an agreement with Sporting Opportunities, which runs sports camps for learners during the school holidays.

LIGHTNING PROTECTION & LIGHTNING PREDICTOR

44. This matter was placed on the agenda of the Planning & Development Committee. The Chair, John Barrow, invited an expert in this field, Prof Ian Jandrell (Head: School of Electrical & Information Engineering, from Wits University), to share his expert opinion with the committee. Subsequently a recommendation and quote were received from Innopro. The Operations Manager has been tasked with circulating the other lightning protection quotes received to the P&D Committee and a decision will be taken at the meeting scheduled for 29 November 2006.

SECOND ASTROTURF

45. The contract with MISI has been cancelled. Colin Hudson is now approaching other companies that have expressed an interest in selling advertising space to raise capital to fund the second Astro.

46. The problem of the Eskom servitude is of an academic nature for the present and until such time as the funding necessary to build a second Astroturf has been raised.

CAPITAL PLANNING AT ST STITHIANS

47. At the October 2006 Meeting, Council approved a budget allocation of R 7,4 million for Capital Expenditure in 2007.

WORLD CUP 2010

48. Alistair Stewart continues to champion this project and to progress the possibility of the College hosting a 2010 World Cup Team. The Crusaders Football Club are very keen to be involved in such a project and the College is working closely with them.

PENRYN COLLEGE

49. St Stithians College continues to maintain close ties with Penryn College. Four members of staff sit on

the Penryn Council (Messrs Gavin Boxall, Ray van Gass, Dave Knowles and Mrs Gayl Kennedy) and attend Council Meetings each term.

50. Staff and learners from Penryn College undertook a cycle tour to St Stithians in September 2006. We were delighted to meet the group on Tuesday, 26 September, at our Corlett Gate. The Penryn group did a lap of honour around the ring road, cheered on by learners from each of the Saints schools, and finished off at the Chapel. A Chapel Service was held at which the Rector acknowledged the special relationship between the two schools and the contribution of Dr Rob Snaddon, founding Trustee and outgoing Penryn Council Chair. The group were then hosted to lunch at the Rector’s House.

CONFERENCES

51. The SAHISA Conference for Heads held in the Drakensberg from 10-14 September 2006, was a great success. Most interesting was a panel discussion, entitled Race, Gender & Identity in South Africa, by Dr Xolela Mangcu, addressing the issue of race in South Africa, and Professor Annette Combrink talking about gender-related matters. Both were pertinent and a fairly lively debate ensued around these topics. The former very clearly put the issue of race on a continuum from Rationalism (race and culture do not matter, but only merit) through to Nationalism (race and culture are the key and only determinant of people’s position and performance in society). Explaining that classic liberalism tends to sit in the one paradigm (rationalism) and extreme black consciousness philosophy on the other paradigm (nationalism).

52. It was a useful tool to understand how South Africans of different political persuasions and ideologies tend to view the question of race. I thought this would be a very useful starting point for the discussion of the senior leadership team of the College around issues of diversity and took the opportunity to invite Dr Mangcu to address our DL_Strat Plan group at its November meeting.

53. The other paper that was particularly interesting was the presentation by Laurie Dippenaar, the outgoing CEO of FirstRand Limited. The key message was that no organisation can be a success unless there is a deep level of trust that runs throughout the organisation and particularly within the leadership team.

THANKS

54. As usual I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge all those who put so much time and effort into making St Stithians College the success that it is. The Heads and staff are hugely committed and devote many hours of extra time to their work to ensure that the quality of what we do at the College is of the highest standard possible. May I express my sincere gratitude to all the staff at the College.

55. I am also conscious of the amount of voluntary time that a number of our parents and former parents continue to devote to the school and to various committees, such as the Parents’ Association, Council Portfolio Committees; and various sports committees. Thank you for giving so freely of your time and expertise to the College.

56. A special word of thanks to the Chairman and Members of Council, whose time, efforts, guidance, support and wisdom are greatly appreciated.

57. And finally, may I thank my PA, Bev Johnson, whose professionalism and attention to detail are central to the smooth running of the Rector’s Office.

STEPHEN LOWRY

RECTOR